Red Sox executive Bobby Valentine asserted he has apologized to 3rd baseman Kevin Youkilis for comments he executed, in which he questioned Youkilis’ physical and emotional commitment. Betting lines

Valentine, speaking before Boston’s Patriots Day game against Tampa Bay — a 1-0 Rays win — said Youkilis approached him. Valentine said he “totally apologized.”

“I have no idea if he accepted my apology. It was sincere,” he claimed. “The last thing in the planet I might need him to imagine is that this was anything except a reply to a query that looked like the query was jabbing at him. I was just attempting to smooth it over. I suppose that I didn’t.”

Earlier Monday, Youkilis announced he was “astonished” and “confused” by Valentine’s affirmations, which were made Sunday before Boston’s win over the Rays. Sports scores

“I do not think he’s as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been during the past for some reason,” Valentine claimed Sunday.”But (on Saturday]) it seemed, you know, he’s seeing the ball well, got those 2 walks, got his on-base % up higher than his batting average, which is always a good thing, and he’ll move on from there.”

Youkilis’ representative, Joe Bick, replying to Valentine’s allegations, said: “I will not grace his quotes by replying to something that is so far off base on such a lot of different levels.”

On Monday, Valentine said his answer to the question was misunderstood, and that his response should have been more certain to Youkilis’ swing.

“I think the question was ‘It’s not Youk-like the way he’s playing,” Valentine recounted in his pregame news conference.”I think that was the query I answered. I should have answered that his swing isn’t where he needs it to be, his swing is frustrating, it has effects on the emotion.”

“I don’t know what the rationale is because I haven’t been here long enough. I’m not sure why the swing is not where it wants to be and he is not banging as many helmets. I believed that it was rather harmless,” Valentine added.

“Matter of fact, seemed like they were trying to bang him and I started it by saying how good his at-bats were that day, his two walks.

“I should have been more specific, physical is about your swing, emotional is about not being contented when he does not hit a ball off the wall.”

Youkilis, who found out about the declarations from Bick, his representative, on Sunday night, said he and Valentine had discussed it Monday morning. But the 3-time All-Star wouldn’t reveal what was expounded.

“Everyone here knows I go out and play with emotion,” Youkilis told reporters in the Red Sox clubhouse, before Valentine said sorry. “The only time there has ever been a question is actually because I’ve been too emotional.”

“That’s not what I see,” Youkilis added in response to Valentine’s affirmations.

“I go out every day and play as tough as I’m able to — take each ground ball in the morning, take each at-bat like it’s my last. I don’t think my game has been modified in any way. I continue to get agitated with myself. I still get mad.”